The Dragon Girl's Journey
by whereisbueller
Summary: Fifty years after the Great Dragon Mother was killed by Naraku, her hanyou daughter Akane sets out in Feudal Japan to search for the evil demon and avenge her mother. Alhough she plans to fulfill her journey alone, she runs into a few new friends along the way and even builds strong bonds with those that she comes across. (My original character)
1. Chapter One: The Journey Begins

In the time of Feudal Japan, when the lands were covered with forests and mountains reach the skies, humans and demons lived among each other in the same world. Although some humans and demons could live together in peace and equality, there were some that found the idea repulsing and many demons could not imagine the concept of humans not being inferior to themselves.

This was the period of time when many wars were fought and much bloodshed was sprawled upon Japan. Not only were mortal humans fighting, but even powerful demons battled for the land for honor. Wars among demons could go on for decades, and neither foe would be close to death because of their immense and terrible strength.

Many demons scoured the land in search of power and conquest, some were fortunate to taste this reality, but others would fall to the hands of more powerful demons and never realize the feeling of supreme victory. There were also many who did not wish for domination and control over any being, whether a human or a demon, but instead favored peace between the two very different orders. In some instances, a human and a demon would find love in one another, and despite the common opposing ideals, they would choose to be together regardless of acceptance.

The love between a human and a demon could not have been more prominent then that of the Great Dragon Lord of the Skies and a simple farmer from a quiet village. The Dragon Lord was a beautiful and strong woman, whose strength and skill was unlike any other demon of Feudal Japan, and despite being a demon, she did not despise humans and their ways.

Lady Mizuyume was a master of the katana blade, especially Ryu-tsume, the blade forged from her own dragon claw, which she carried with her at all times. She used the sword to protect herself and the people of her lands, which were both human and demon, yet she cared not who they, but only considered that all living creatures existed as one living spirit.

Lady Mizuyume was a dragon demon who could transform from her human-looking state to her beast form whenever she pleased, and had done so for the hundreds of years that she had lived. She was barely seven hundred years old, although she appeared to be a young woman, when she met a simple farmer living in a tranquil bright village. They had fallen in love almost at first sight and they cared for each other very much, even though they were from two opposing walks of life. However, they did not care, and when Lady Mizuyume discovered that she was carrying a child, she and her lover were even more elated, but who were against them were not so joyous.

When she gave birth, Lady Mizuyume named the little child Akane, and she and her husband loved the tiny girl with all their heart. For a few years, Lady Mizuyume taught Akane the ways of the sword and helped her understand her demon powers. It was difficult for her, and even her mother, because Akane was a hanyou and found it upsetting at times when she could not understand why other children feared her and misunderstood what she was.

Akane was almost sixty in demon years, but looked around the age of ten years old, when she began to realize that her father was becoming very old. Since Akane's father was merely a human, he did not age as differently as his daughter or wife. Lady Mizuyume had known this from start, and was prepared for whatever the future would hold, but Akane did not. When her father had died, Akane was then raised by her powerful mother. Lady Mizuyume taught the young hanyou how to use Ryu-tsume with strength and accuracy, and showed the child the ways of hand to hand combat.

Almost a hundred years had passed, and Akane was now what appeared to be a young woman, and she traveled beside her mother for guidance and wisdom. Akane herself had become quite strong, which her mother had noticed and praised considerably, and Akane, like her mother, was still kindhearted and responsible.

One day, while exploring through the lands of Feudal Japan, Lady Mizuyume and her daughter were approached by a man with a deadly and sinister scent. This evil man was named Naraku, and after stating his wish to kill the Dragon Demon Mother, he captured Akane and put her under a short freezing seal, and disguised himself as the hanyou girl.

He discovered Lady Mizuyume once again and started a battle with the powerful yokai and fought for hours on end. However, Lady Mizuyume could not stand attacking her child any longer, so she let her guard down. Naraku sent one final blow to the Dragon Lord of the Skies and was only able to absorb a little of her demonic power. Naraku left and removed the seal from Akane, setting her free and allowing the daughter to find her mother. Before leaving, Naraku told the hanyou that if she wished to battle with him one day that he would be waiting and ready to destroy her and consume her power too. Naraku vanished moments later.

Akane feared the worst, and when she had caught her mother's scent her fear began to intensify even more. She followed it to an opening in the forest where she could see her mother lying on the dirt ground, badly injured and on the brink of death. Akane went to her mother's side and wept upon her body. With the last of her strength, Lady Mizuyume knew that it was not her daughter who had fought with her, but the vicious demon Naraku.

The Dragon Lord calmed her grieving daughter and told her to take Ryu-tsume and use the sword for good, and to protect those that she loved, and to remember who she was and where she had come from, regardless if she was a hanyou or a full blooded yokai.

Fifty years had gone by quickly, like waves crashing upon the sand, and the sorrow from Akane's past had subsided, but still held a prominent place in her mind. She had wanted so much to find Naraku and avenge her mother, but after her death Naraku's whereabouts had diminished and Akane's hope of finding him had almost disappeared.

Until recently, news of Naraku had begun to reemerge and she had set out on her own to discover his location and take him down by herself. Feudal Japan was a dangerous and unexpected place to travel alone, but Akane's strength was great, and she was able to defend herself with ease.

Like her mother had instructed, Akane wielded Ryu-tsume and used the sword for good upon her mother's wishes. Ryu-tsume allowed Akane to use its strength whenever she pleased, and both owner and sword grew a powerful bond.

Her mother's blade had given her great comfort, since it was the only belonging she had left of her mother. Akane had also inherited the dragon demon's beauty and strength. Her hair was a crisp color of white, and her eyes were the color of the sea on a bright and cloudless day. Although she was petite in size, she could unleash a great deal of power when she wished, which was a surprise to many of her opponents and enemies.

She had grown to be very much like her mother; however, Akane frequently felt resentment to demons and humans alike. Although her mother had told her to accept herself, even though she was a hanyou, she began to realize that as her skills improved over the years many of her foes could not tell that she was both human and demon. Going against her mother's guidance, she kept the secret of her mixed blood to herself after Lady Mizuyume's death.

Now, after hearing of Naraku's new surfacing to the world again, she had decided to travel the lands for as long as she could possible do so, and she had hundreds of years to use to find him. Akane had only been traveling for a few weeks with very little clues and hints of the malevolent demon that she hoped to find.

After a few days of continuous walking, she was now in a small hut in a tiny village near a flower field, sitting on a straw mat in front of a short table. Across from her sat an old monk, probably nearing the age of sixty, staring back at her while they sipped at cups of tea. He was a bit stern looking, he carried a long staff with purple beads, and he wore a simple red robe.

The monk was capable of great spiritual power and was not afraid to use his skill. However, he did not fear Akane at the slightest, because he knew that her intentions were not evil ones, and that she merely wished to speak with him.

The tea that Akane sipped from the clay cup soothed her throat and body, and began to ease her weary mind. She was tired of course from days of no sleep, and she tried carefully not to spill the tea on her white and silver kimono, which was already a bit dirty from her endless traveling.

She let out a great sigh and placed the cup down on the table gently, taking her hands away from the warmth of the hot tea. The monk knew that she was tired and did not mind the short silence that existed between them at the table. None the less, he knew why she was here, and did not want to make her wait even though she would have probably not minded a few more minutes of silence.

"I purified the water and blessed the tea so that is may ease your mind. You must have been traveling without sleep and with much worry on your mind," he said calmly.

Akane closed her eyes and sighed a bit more. The monk was definitely on point. She opened her eyes and focused her gaze on the clay cup in front of her, beginning to understand the tranquility that slowly began to ease her thoughts.

"Yes, I do feel much better than I have in a while. Thank you for allowing me to sit with you." She bowed her head as the monk looked upon her. He was also quite calm, but still seemed serious and straight faced, none the less.

"There is no need to thank me. I see that you carry a demon sword and that you have a demon aura. You have much power, yet you seem to be quite debilitated," the monk stated

"I have been in pursuit of a terrible demon for many nights now, and I haven't been very lucky in my search," she explained, lowering her head a bit.

"This demon that you have been tracking is Naraku, is it not?"

"Yes, but how did you-." The monk interrupted her before she could finish.

"Demons aren't the only ones that are aware of Naraku's existence. Even humans are trying to find him, even though it is foolish of them to do so." The monk looked upon Akane's bewildered face, and new that he had guessed right.

"Please, tell me all that you know. Do you have any news of where he could be? It would be a of great help to me." Akane was a bit impatient and hoped that the monk could aid her in her journey.

"It has been said that Naraku seeks the shards of the Shikon Jewel, and that his whereabouts would be best related to whoever may possess one of the shards."

"Was it not destroyed by the Priestess Kikyo fifty years ago? What has caused the Jewel to be fragmented?" Akane asked even more impatiently, not wanting to waste any more time.

"I was a young boy when the Priestess died, and I do not know of the cause for the Jewel to be in existence now. I am sorry that I could not be of more help to you." The monk rose from his seat on the floor, and Akane did the same.

The two of them walked out of the hut and into the outside air where the wind gently pulled the trees, swaying them back and forth like an old dance. Akane and the monk looked upon the dancing trees and felt the air whistle passed them, while it slid through the strands of her hip length hair and around her body. Before leaving the monk, Akane turned to him and gave him a tiny smile.

"I appreciate your kindness, and that you shared your knowledge with me. It has helped me greatly," her voice said softly, thanks to his tea.

"The wind tells me that many things are ahead, and that there are many dangers awaiting both humans and demons. I wish you a safe journey...Akane no Mizuyume."

Although the monk's last words startled her a bit, she dared not show it, but instead kept a calm face. She bowed to him once more and left his home, while asking herself how he had known who she was and of her journey.

Could it be that he knew of my mother? She questioned herself.

He had seemed to be very wise and thoughtful, so she did not question his knowledge of her any longer. Instead, Akane focused on what was really important: Naraku.


	2. Chapter Two: The Dream

**(Author's Note:** I would like to apologize for making those of you who read my story wait so long for a new chapter. Unfortunately, I've been really busy with school and friends that I haven't taken the time to type out my chapters. Also, I have one computer to type with, and I share it with someone else at home. -.- Anywho, I hope you enjoy this chapter, and the next one will be up soon (I'm hoping .). Thanks!**)**

The tea and chat with the wise monk had lifted Akane's spirits slightly, but she still had much to do before she would be able to find Naraku and cut him down once and for all. In reality, the monk hadn't given her any specifics, but instead offered her an important clue, which she knew would require even more traveling and searching.

Now she not only had to find more clues of Naraku, but also seek demons that possessed shards o the Shikon Jewel, which she still did not fully understand. For fifty years she had thought that the Jewel had been destroyed and gone from the world forever, however, it had resurfaced unexpectedly, just like Naraku had. Akane didn't have a single clue as to how it may have happened.

It did not matter to her now though, and she thought that maybe she would learn exactly what had happened to the Jewel, but for now that was the last of her worries. Akane was more determined than ever to head out through the land and continue her journey, which she attributed to the blessed tea from the monk that still left a trace of sweet flavor on her lips.

She had already walked a bit far from his hut, but was still in the village outskirts, not wanting to frighten or disturb any of the human villagers. There wasn't a person in sight however as Akane walked farther away from the village. The gentle silence of only the soft wind and chiming birds put her at ease again for the moment.

The wind still blew the tree gracefully and sent their flowery fragrance all around Akane where the breeze also blew her stunning white hair from her face and up into the air. Its gentle caress reminded her of her mother, who in a way became the wind and trees every time she would transform into a dragon. Being a hanyou, Akane did not possess the ability to change her appearance or become a stronger version of her half-demon self.

Her human blood restricted her from doing so, but just being a hanyou was enough. She was not some weak naive girl that many demons had assumed that she was. Once Akane showed her power, the enemy would often think twice about challenging her. Although she was not nearly as powerful as her mother, she had learned from her for many years, and continued to master her skills every day.

That night, Akane found a solitary tree that would protect her while she relaxed her legs and finally experience a night of sleep. She had deprived herself of rest for a few days before meeting the monk, and his tea had given her the idea of taking the time to relax.

When Akane sat under the large thick tree, she did not remove Ryu-tsume from her side. For years, Akane never let the blade out of her sight, afraid that it would be stolen or destroyed. Then again, she didn't really know if the sword could be destroyed at all because of its high demonic power, and the fact that it had been forged from her mother's dragon claw. She didn't really know what its limit was at all.

At first she hesitated to relax her eyes and allow herself to fall asleep. Her mind was swimming like a fish with thoughts about finding Naraku and battling him to the death. She was confident that the battle would result in his demise and the satisfaction that she had avenged her mother. Not only that, but she could not help the feeling of anxiousness and worry.

Although she knew a weak demon would be no match to her, Akane still did not want to lie there asleep where danger could be waiting for her.

When the hanyou girl had let her eyes drop and finally close, she relaxed instantly and began to sleep quietly. Akane began to dream almost instantly after falling asleep. In this dream, she stood under the large elm tree with its leaves softly falling to ground in small bunches, and even the grass had begun to shift its direction to that of the breeze.

It was daytime in her dream, and the sun showed warmly upon the forest and flowers, but everything looked much brighter than it would have been in reality. She realized this instantly. Everything was even more tranquil than what it had been when she was awake.

As she walked cautiously through the forest, her surroundings were at peace, and nothing seemed to stir or disrupt the calm. The young woman was free of worries for a short while, which she enjoyed since she had not been at peace for many days. She was enjoying this moment of carelessness and casualty very much, but deep down she could not forget what she had set out to do in the first place.

What seemed to be a few minutes of quiet thinking to herself was interrupted by a faint and distant sound. To a human the soft noise would have been barely noticeable. However, a demon, or in Akane's case a hanyou, could hear and smell things that a human would not even recognize. Even a hanyou or a yokai's sense of sight was much superior to that of a human's.

Akane heard the sound again, becoming clearer and more recognizable, and she began to realize what exactly it was. It was a sound that almost anyone could recognize easily, but seldom heard on an everyday basis. The sound continued to reach closer to where Akane stood, and she decided to pursue the animal creating this noise.

Behind a small cluster of bushes and foliage, Akane discovered what was producing the sound. It was very small, and its short legs wobbled slightly as it walked. Soft, cream-white fluffs of curly wool shone brightly in the sunlit clearing, and its nose and ears were a light shade of pink.

The tiny lamb was alone and afraid, for its small high pitched baa's wouldn't stop and its stumbling was due to walking tired and alone for so long. At one point the lamb fell quickly to the ground and struggled to pick itself back up again.

Akane watched the lamb intently, not wanting to frighten the poor animal, not wanting to stir it into an even worse mood. The little animal's baaing went on and on, even when its legs had given out and the lamb plopped to the ground. The lamb reminded Akane of a young child crying out for its mother, lost and afraid because it had been separated far from protection or safety.

When she got closer to the tired lamb, it heard her movements only slightly, because its ears twitched and it turned its head to where the lamb heard the faint movement.

However, when the lamb turned its head to where it had heard the noise, it was not looking in Akane's direction, instead towards a different set of bushes and trees far from where Akane stood.

She glanced in the direction the lamb was looking and just barely caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure close to the ground. It only took a few seconds to realize what the figure was, which Akane recognized by its wild scent and low growl.

It was a wild dog, a wolf maybe, Akane couldn't quite tell, but she knew it was wild and hungry. The wolf's haunting yellow eyes were peering intently on the helpless lamb, waiting for the right moment. The lamb, who was oblivious to the predator behind the trees, was still making cries and gave up trying to rise from the grassy spot where it sat.

While the lamb licked its hooves and curly white wool, the wild beast licked its own mouth and snout, imagining the flavor that he so desperately wanted to taste. The lamb was a tangible prey that the wolf was so close to enjoying.

The wolf would surely try to devour the poor lamb, not hesitating a single bit. Akane continued to watch both the wolf and the lamb. It was just an animal so why would she even care? She was a half-demon after all, and she needn't worry herself over a stupid creature. But something inside Akane told her that she needed to protect the little creature, even if moments like these occurred in the forest all the time.

Something told her that leaving the lamb to die was not an option, and that doing so would leave her feeling extremely guilty. It was still just a dream, right? Even so, Akane couldn't help but feel sorry for the animal, even compelled by it.

Without wasting another minute before it was too late, she walked out of the close concealed tree that she had been secretly hiding behind, and made herself present. The lamb was a bit startled, and the wolf became threatened and more aggressive as soon as it realized that it and the lamb were not alone.

After Akane revealed herself, the wolf realized how useless it was to hide any longer, and came into the clearing. It snarled and exposed its large, glistening cream colored fangs, attempting to frighten Akane away from its prey.

Of course, she wasn't moved at the slightest, and approached both the wolf and the lamb even closer. The wolf wasn't amused, and it began to bark angrily and annoyingly at the half-demon girl.

Before the wolf could act, Akane went towards the lamb and scooped up the soft, fragile little animal. Noticing that the wolf didn't appreciate its meal being taken away, Akane made a menacing glare aimed at the angry wolf and let a low growl escape her own lips.

It was just enough to intimidate the angry creature, because he began to whimper slightly and ran off in a hurry, not wanting to possibly become the new prey.

Now that the predator was out of sight, Akane looked down at the lamb being held in her arms and resting against her chest. She looked at the lamb with kind eyes and a gentle expression, and the lamb looked back up at her with a frightened and confused little face. Its crying had stopped, which told Akane that it was no longer afraid of her or anything that may cause it harm. It must have felt safe and at peace, because it quickly fell asleep in Akane's arms.


	3. Chapter Three: The Crimson Oni

**(Author's Note: **Sorry it's been a while since I uploaded a new chapter. Everything is pretty busy over here in highschool, and I hope that I will not have to face any more tiresome obstacles. v.v Anywho, after writing this chapter, realized how long it was, so I split it in two. The other part will be Chapter Four, and I hope this doesn't frustrate you guys too much. If you enjoy long chapters or shorter ones, then leave a review or send me a PM. ^.^ Your opinion is always helpful and motivating! Thanks, enjoy, and leave a review!**)**

When Akane awoke from her dream, she felt both puzzled and interested at the peculiar images that her mind had created while she slept. She couldn't remember ever dealing with lambs or even wolves before falling asleep, but she thought that maybe the dream could be attributable to the wise monks' tea. Either way, it was a fascinating idea to dream about none the less, and that maybe the dream had some sort of meaning, which was unknown to her. For now though it was simply a dream and nothing more, and instead Akane wanted to continue her journey before worrying about silly pictures that played aimlessly in her head.

It must have been early morning, for the sun looked as if it had not risen completely, however it wasn't nearly hot enough to be midday. Birds were chirping softly in the trees, which were gently pulled by the mild breeze. A good night's sleep had served Akane well, due to her incessant traveling. The conversation with the monk was one of the very few stops she had taken in the past couple of weeks, and it felt nice that she could go about the day having a refreshed body and rejuvenated mind. It would be of no use if Akane discovered Naraku and could not fend for herself and battle the evil demon due to neglecting the essential necessity of sleep.

Akane decided that it was time to get going, even though the pleasant settings that surrounded her said otherwise. The morning was quite beautiful and somewhat comforting, even for a hanyou or a yokai, who could see thousands upon thousands of sunrises and sunsets in their lifetime. That might have been the case, but Akane didn't mind that because appreciating every day was something her mother had taught her so long ago.

She could have sat under that tree for ages, but unfortunately Akane knew that there was not a moment to lose anymore. Checking for Ryu-tsume, which was still tied to her hip and in its sheathe, she rose from her resting spot at the roots of the tree and quickly brushed off her kimono. Fastening her sword to the sash tied around her waist, Akane took one last look at the large tree that served as her place of rest, and took a breath of the fresh morning air.

However, when she took in the sweet smelling aroma of blossoms and tree branches she caught another scent. A scent that was foul and sinister. A scent that she hadn't detected in over fifty years. It had been so long since she had fully experienced the tainted aura, yet she could identify it immediately. It caught her off guard at first because she couldn't possibly believe that she could have been anywhere close to the person producing this scent so quickly. Could it be that she had finally found what she was looking for?

Akane darted through the forest, running as fast as her legs permitted, following the scent and aura as well as she could. Luckily, it wasn't too difficult to keep track of, and it wasn't too challenging to follow where the scent was going either.

Blurs of flowering trees and tall bamboo were the only thing that her stunning sea-colored eyes could make out among the various images that passed by as she dashed gracefully. At some point her feet barely touched the ground because of the great speed at which she traveled. Akane was both eager and on edge about what she was racing to encounter, but she knew that it was too late to turn back.

It had only taken her a short while of running and dodging trees until she found herself standing at the perimeter of a large empty clearing. She glanced around the area, searching for the source of the scent that she had been following, and immediately noticed a massive troll snooping around the clearing. It was an unattractive shade of maroon, and it had three horns on the top of its uneven head, the middle horn being slightly larger than the other two. The troll also had two tiny black eyes that seemed almost empty, and a thick heavy body. He didn't seem too intimidating in Akane's eyes, but instead looked rather obtuse and foolish.

Not a single ounce of fear crossed her mind as she headed out into the clearing to confront him. The troll demon didn't appear to be very impressive, and Akane could easily cut him down in a single move, then continuing on her way. However, the demon reeked of Naraku's scent, and this still needed to be explained, for the reason was still unclear to Akane. It frustrated her greatly because she had not discovered Naraku himself, but instead discovered a weak and thoughtless demon standing in his place. Akane almost _hoped_ that it was indeed Naraku that she stumbled upon in the clearing, but then again she was a tad bit relieved that she wouldn't have to battle him so quickly.

As much as Akane wanted to destroy Naraku, she still had doubts about her own power. It would have been too coincidental if she found him, and right after she had just gotten wind of his whereabouts the night before. Even finding the troll demon with Naraku's scent was still a bit astonishing, and she felt just a little lucky that she might have found herself closer to ending his life. Unfortunately, Akane still did not know what the troll demon's affiliation was with Naraku.

Stepping into the sunlight out of the brush, Akane approached the troll a few yards away with caution, yet she did not feel slightly fearful. His back was turned to her at first, but once he picked up on her scent and heard her light footsteps the troll turned around to face Akane.

They were far enough away from each other to be safe from one another's attacks if one of them decided to battle. Akane wanted to get to that later, but first the troll needed to answer a few of her questions. The troll did not look like he was in the mood for conversation; instead he had a face better suited for tearing his enemies in two. Akane knew that it would probably take a little persuasion to get any answers out of him, and it might not even be of any use. Nonetheless, one could only hope.

The troll demon wasn't too big, perhaps a little more than ten feet, which was roughly twice the size of Akane, but it did not matter. She didn't care if he was twenty feet or even had more than one head; she wasn't going to back down in fear.

He finally took an actual notice to her scent and looked down on her miniscule form while showing his jagged blade-like teeth. It wasn't even that he tried to frighten the young woman which amused her so much, but that his teeth were much too large for his disfigured and unbalanced head that she took notice of. Akane didn't care all that much about his size, stature, or unattractive, and she even assumed that the troll wasn't anywhere close to being as afraid as he should have been. He obviously didn't realize what he was going to be dealing with. Out of his stupidity, the troll demon angrily boomed to the, unbeknownst to him, half-demon girl with a gravelly and profound voice.

"I thought I smelled a weakling nearby. Who is it that dares challenge Shinkuoni in battle?"

His voice was heavy and deep, echoing throughout the clearing. His teeth were much too large for his face, and even when he finished speaking the jagged razors still showed prominently from his gaping crooked mouth. He did not fear the young woman and did not take a single precaution or worry even the slightest for his life. Shinkuoni wasn't the smartest of demons, and even worse, he was too arrogant for his own good. Akane didn't worry either though, if a battle did ensue, then she would have no problem whatsoever.

"Listen, I didn't come here to fight you. Not yet. What I want to know is why you have Naraku's scent all over you," she said loudly and sternly enough for him to know that she wasn't playing around. She stood up straight and tall, wanting to seem tougher than she must have looked to the demon standing in front of her that was twice her size. Her eyebrows furrowed into a distinct shape to show that she was in no mood to play around.

"Hmm. You're not some average wench, are you? A demon is what I can sense, and you carry a blade too. I won't tell you of my purpose here just yet. First let's test your power against the greater power of Shinkuoni," he boomed once more.

Akane was in no mood for a battle, instead she just wanted a few simple questions to be answered, and then she'd go on her merry way. Maybe she would cut him down afterwards if she had too. Unfortunately, Shinkuoni wasn't going to be very compliant with her. This was indeed frustrating and she certainly didn't want to waste any more time with a weak troll who _wasn't _Naraku. This was not at all what Akane had in mind when she sensed Naraku's scent and expected to see the evil man who had killed her mother fifty years ago. Just when she thought that she'd gotten closer to him, Akane was disappointed with a demon that was nowhere near Naraku's strength.

_Will this always happen, _she thought to herself, _Will I never get to Naraku?_

She had looked away for a split second when she thought to herself, but drew her attention to the troll once more. Her eyes were focused on his, trying to get a bit of information from his menacing glare, but of course, it was no use. Akane would have no way of getting any information by just standing there like some fool. It wasn't really in her best interest to fight him and waste her energy, or Ryu-tsume's for that matter, but she might have no choice. He was simply a bridge that she needed to cross, whether she really wanted to or not.

Sliding Ryu-tsume gracefully from its sheath, she pointed the shining blade towards the troll, the sunlight glinting off the sleek silver. The characters 竜の爪 were delicately carved into one side of the polished blade, while the sheath hung lightly to Akane's hip. Akane could tell that Ryu-tsume was eager to battle, however she was not so excited. As she stood there with her mother's blade, the troll took a slight interest in her as soon as she revealed the sword. His fascination raised when his beady eyes focused on the blade, but he did not believe that Akane would actually be able to wield such a powerful weapon. She noticed his curiosity and tightened her grip on the swords handle, and spoke.

"Listen Shinkuoni, I don't care how _powerful _you think you are. Either you give me some answers, or I kill you on the spot. And you should take your greedy eyes off my blade. There's no way in hell I'm gonna let you lay an ugly finger on it," she explained. Maybe now the troll would think twice about starting a fight with her, but then again his stupidity was far beyond her control.

"Damn you wench. You'll pay for challenging my power," he gnashed. His voice was incredibly deep and sounded like thunder across the land. His face furrowed in disgust at the woman standing before him, but Akane couldn't have cared less what his opinion was towards her. She wasn't hurt by his words at the slightest, and instead took his foolishness as a sign of fear.

Akane was over the troll's distinct imprudence, and she knew she might not get any answers out of him unless she acted. Just a simply injury could persuade him otherwise. Maybe it would be just enough to get him to talk, or maybe his was ordered to keep Naraku's whereabouts a secret, on behalf of Naraku's own request. Either way, there was nothing else that she could do because he looked as if he were just about to charge towards her. Akane was right too, because without a doubt he began to march angrily and stupidly in her direction.

She had finally made the decision to attack as soon as she realized that it was of no use to avoid a battle any longer. Raising Ryu-tsume into the air facing the blazing sky, the sunlight reflected a single ray of light from the shining blade. Her grip tightened once more around the ancient sword, it pulsed, knowing that its service was needed and its wielder called upon its power. Ryu-tsume did not object to the use of its strength, in fact the blade was almost anticipating its use, which Akane could tell by the sword's echoing pulses.

Originally being Lady Mizuyume's blade, Ryu-tsume was not a silly trinket or heirloom, and it was especially not just a simple sliver of metal. It was much more than that, which the Great Lady made sure that Akane was aware of before her untimely passing.

Akane continued to grip her sword up to the sky, the sunlight shining from the powerful weapon that she took hold of firmly. Using as much strength as she needed, Akane quickly made a swift stroke towards the troll. She didn't even have to move from her spot to know that the blow would be fatal. However, before she could barely call out Ryu-tsume's name to send the blade's power flashing towards the troll, another striking light entered the clearing, aimed directly at the troll.

**(Author's Note:** Well, I hope you liked it. ^.^ Who sent the attack?! What will happen next?! Soon you will see! :o**)**


	4. Chapter Four: An Uninvited Guest

**(Author's Note:** Well, I decided to be nice and post a new chapter much faster than I usually do. I figured since I kinda left you with a cliffhanger last time, I figured that giving you this chapter would make up for it. Don't worry, there are quite a few cliffhangers soon to come. ^.^ Anywho, I hope you enjoy this chapter, and don't forget to vote on the poll on my user page (it pertains to this story). Also, thanks so much to Tsukino Aisuru - A, Sunprincessmargie, and to Lacertae. Your reviews and PM's have encouraged me greatly. Now... I wonder if you knew who sent the attack from last chapter! :o**)**

The attack was a blazing color of blue and sent chills down Akane's spine, but the attack had only destroyed Shinkuoni's right arm. Whatever it was that sent the attack, it didn't want to kill the troll demon just yet. An attack like that was bound to destroy the troll eventually. However, it was still unclear to Akane where the blast of power had come from; it had appeared from somewhere on the perimeter of the clearing, but the person who sent the almost fatal blow was still unknown.

Fortunately, a few trees had been destroyed in the process of the attacker's powerful blast; the short jagged trunks were the only remainder of the once soaring trees. Some branches were fringed or burned entirely. The area where the attacker must have been was still clouded with puffs of dirt, concealing whoever it was that tried to injure the troll, which had only severed Shinkuoni's limb.

Akane was slightly annoyed by this unexpected attack. If anyone was going to get some answers out of the troll, it would be her. She also didn't favor the idea of some unknown person killing off her only clue to finding Naraku. This angered her even more than the fact that Shinkuoni wouldn't explain himself in the first place. Her level of frustration was really beginning to boil, so much that she decided to confront the attacker without any second thoughts.

"I know you're still there, whoever you are. Do me a favor and show yourself, or get lost," she shouted towards the ruined part of the clearings' trees. The dirt clouds were beginning to disappear, and the outline of a person was becoming clearer. Shinkuoni took notice of the man appearing before them and boomed in anger at the person who destroyed his arm.

"Naraku told me of a yokai with hair of silver and fur draped upon his shoulder. Naraku also told me to destroy that certain yokai if I should come face to face with him," the troll admitted. Now it was certain that Shinkuoni was sent by Naraku, and not just a coincidence.

_Maybe Buddha has decided to aid me in this journey. That monk's tea must have really worked; his blessing really did come in handy,_ Akane thought to herself. If this was the working of Buddha, she felt grateful and favored his steady guidance.

Breaking her thought of concentration, Akane soon began to see the demon that Shinkuoni had referred to, and she took notice of the few attributes that the troll had pointed out. The yokai had silver hair that was incredibly long, and his eyes were the color of gold, like the sun that shone above them. His eyes showed no emotion, which was the first thing that caught Akane's attention, even from a few yards away. This yokai was quite tall, a white and red kimono hung on his towering frame, and a long puffy fur was draped over his right shoulder. He held one sword in his right hand, and another in its sheathe, hanging from a yellow and purple sash around his waist. A crescent moon and two red marks on each cheek showed that he was definitely a full-blooded yokai. Akane did not have such markings to show her pure blood, and she hope desperately that the yokai wouldn't discover her secret. This yokai was nothing like Shinkuoni, his power and senses were definitely much keener than the injured troll.

"You girl have no business here. Leave, this battle is clearly between the troll and _me_," the yokai stated. His eyes narrowed towards the _seemingly_ full-blooded Akane, an expression of annoyance was all she could detect. His comment sent a fast rush of anger through her body. She wasn't one to take such insults lightly.

"You know very well that I was here first. So take your crappy attitude somewhere else and leave me be to destroy this weak demon," she retorted. She still held Ryu-tsume in her hand with a tightened grip to show that she wasn't backing down. The yokai did not seem to care whether she wanted his presence or not, because he quickly left from his spot in the clearing and raced towards Shinkuoni, ready to deal the final blow. He did not realize that Akane wasn't going to just simply walk away from the situation and let him have his way, and she was certainly not one to be pushed or ordered around.

The silver-haired yokai wasn't going to stop just for her, and he especially wasn't going to spare the troll's life. Akane's only option was to stop the yokai from killing the troll. She still wanted answers, but she was afraid that the yokai would finish him off before she had that chance.

Without hesitating, she followed suit and darted towards the yokai, trying to block his way before he could attack. She kept her eyes focused on the yokai's form, racing to the troll that looked at him stupidly with his severed arm. Both the Akane and the yokai ran at amazing speed, but she feared that his speed would outmatch hers. There was no doubt that the yokai was strong and agile, she had to admit that to herself. However, there was no way that she would allow him to get his way and leave her looking foolish right in front of someone with such immense power.

Just when the yokai was going to send a blast from his sword towards Shinkuoni, Akane reached the running man and violently shoved him aside by knocking into his shoulder making him halt. They had both been running so quickly that when she tried to push him out of the way, both of their forces didn't make the other budge. At that moment, their blades clashed.

"How foolish. Two yokai fighting over who is to challenge me in the end. You are simply eliminating another nuisance that I can now avoid," the troll said deafeningly, deep laughter emanating from his unpleasant mouth. Unfortunately, he was right. If Akane and the yokai did finish each other off, then that would leave Shinkuoni safe from battle and able to escape with his life, except for his severed limb. Akane was aware of this, and would not allow for this to happen. She figured that the yokai in front of her probably felt the same way.

"I told you once before. Do not get in my way any further, or I will kill you as well," the silver-haired yokai beckoned. He was still aggressively trying to force her out of the way with his blade. Both of their swords were touching, both clashing in front of each other's faces. The two of them tried their hardest to push the other to the ground, but to no avail.

They looked into each other's eyes; full of anger, but the yokai's golden eyes did not show anything other than that. Akane could tell that he was frustrated, but dared not show it, but instead kept an unfazed expression. Their blades were still collided, creating tiny sparks and surges of power emanating from both blades' power.

"My blade is forged from a dragon claw. Nice, isn't it? Good luck trying to get passed me," she said teasingly. This comment made the yokai's eyebrows furrow in disgust, irritated that she wasn't defeated yet.

All the while, Shinkuoni continued to look on as the two yokai fought over who would kill him. He saw this as an opportunity to take advantage of the situation and kill one, or both, of them off. Since the yokai with gold eyes had severed his arm, Shinkuoni figured that the rest of his strength would be best suited to destroying him first. He decided that he would deal with the girl afterwards.

As Akane and the yokai continued to clash, Shinkuoni rushed towards them, aimed mostly at the male with silver hair. With his good arm, he raised it into the air and began to produce a large cluster of demonic energy, growling with power the entire time. The male yokai noticed the troll's creation of power, but did not act as swiftly as Akane did.

She had noticed the troll long before the yokai did, and knew that Shinkuoni was preparing for an attack. Her senses were right. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the troll's menacing form coming closer to hers. She ducked under her blade to avoid being knocked over by the yokai's clashing blade and turned quickly towards the troll. With a swift slash of her sword, a tiny transparent dragon swirled around her blade. A surge of power followed behind it.

"Ryu-tsume," Akane shouted, calling upon the power of her mother's blade.

In almost a blink of an eye, the tiny ghost dragon grew to a much larger size and flew directly towards Shinkuoni. It sent a streak of power formed from its fanged mouth, and hit the troll almost instantly, causing Shinkuoni to let out a horrid petrified scream. A pale green light engulfed the troll and sent his body parts askew. She had killed it.

A few seconds after Akane unleashed Ryu-tsume's power, she slid the blade back into its sheathe. She stood their slightly tired, but not exhausted. The yokai's back was turned towards Akane now; his eyes were narrowed even more than before, analyzing Ryu-tsume's great power. However, he did not wish to stay around much longer, and neither did Akane for that matter.

"You killing the demon has done nothing. Now all that remains is a wasted opportunity to find Naraku," he said annoyingly. Akane noticed how agitated his voice sounded, but it was of no importance to her.

"I don't expect you to be grateful, but if I hadn't attacked, he would have killed us both," she replied.

"Your explanation is wasted. I do not care what your reasoning is. If we happen to cross paths again, I will not hesitate to kill you," he said sternly.

His back was still facing her, but his head was turned to the side so that he could see her over his shoulder. The yokai slid his blade into the sash around his waist and began walking away towards the edge of the large clearing, his silver hair blowing slightly from the wind. Akane did not go after him. Instead, when the yokai had finally left the area, she focused her attention towards a shining object on the ground.

**(Author's Note:** Thanks for reading, and I hope you liked it! Reviews are greatly appreciated and really encouraging, so don't be afraid to leave a comment. Thanks, bye for now! :3**)**


	5. Chapter Five: Dragon Eyes and A Surprise

**(Author's Note:** I'm really sorry for taking to long to publish a new chapter. I PROMISE that I'll update a lot sooner next time! Things have been a bit busy with the holidays and everything, but hopefully I won't take too long to update later on. I hope evryone had a great Thanksgiving, and I wish you all the best for the rest of the holiday season. ^.^ By the way, I really hope that my story doesn't seem to be faced pased enough, but trust me, stuff is about to get exciting. I really appreciate your comments and feedback, and if you honestly like my story then don't be afraid to say so. If you think it needs improvement then tell me! Happy Holidays and enjoy!**) **

The shining object, which Akane noticed emanating from Shinkuoni's remains, could have easily gone unnoticed if it were not for the body parts that lay scattered in front of her. The head, body, legs, and a single arm was completely separated; its right arm had been destroyed previously by a powerful blast from the silver-haired yokai. Where the limb was now, Akane did not know. She had waited a while after he left the premises before she would inspect the troll's leftovers, and hopefully find the source of the tiny glowing light.

It was then that she recognized how unexpected the yokai's attack had been. His scent hadn't even registered her thoughts, but she could only assume that the reason for this was due to Naraku's evil overpowering stench, which had probably clouded her sense of smell.

After the battle, the yokai had left swiftly, most likely because he did not want to waste his time in a confrontation with Akane and stay in her presence any longer. He made this quite clear, so much as assuring her that if _she_ got in his way again, his attacks would not just leave her with a missing arm. She had escaped virtually unharmed, but slightly agitated by the fact that she required Ryu-tsume's help.

Akane could have easily killed the troll without the blade's assistance. However, its power had already begun to build up due to the little squabble with the yokai, which was unfortunately unavoidable. Needless to say, seeing a full blooded yokai was somewhat of an unexpected event. She hadn't encountered any yokai while on her journey; not even a half-demon like herself. The yokai's strength and resilience felt almost unreal to her. Nonetheless, Akane still believed that she would have been much better off if he hadn't gotten in her way.

She also remembered something very slight that had crossed her mind right before he left. Of course she knew that he probably despised her during their little quarrel, but right before he departed she noticed a slight flicker in his eyes. Something had made him leave without killing her first. It was as if he had been distracted by something else far off in the distance that was brought to his attention, but he played it off so well as to not appear troubled by anything at all. She wondered what it could have been that made him leave quickly the way he did.

Clearing that thought from her mind, she focused all her attention on the glowing light arising from the deceased troll. Although most of his body parts were detached from the body, the limbs did not look completely dead. Of course, the troll was not moving or uttering a single word, but its remains lay idly on the ground. Shinkuoni's head, which was also separated from the body, displayed a frozen expression of pure shock and fear.

Letting her eyes roam to the disfigured head, she realized the tiny light glowing from the middle horn on the top of its forehead. It was a dark purple light, almost twinkling every second, but would then fade gently. Akane then realized the slight aura the light gave off, an aura that felt very much like Naraku.

It was slightly difficult for Akane to identify the other feelings associated with the light. It definitely felt evil, but there was also something else that tried desperately to squeeze out of the evil aura that consumed it. Whatever aura it was, Akane could not quite tell.

Approaching the troll head with caution, she made her way past a leg or two and faced the head lying limply on the ground. She placed her hand on the horn at the top of Shinkuoni's lifeless head, feeling the cold aura. The middle horn, which was the largest of the three, was roughly the length of her arm. With ease, she broke the horn from its original attachment and analyzed it curiously.

Akane was surprised to find a purple glass-like shard stuck inside the horn. The shard was a darker purple than its aura had been, which worried her slightly. The tiny fragment did not seem very pleasant to Akane. Instead, it seemed slightly corrupt, and this was no surprise to her considering it had been lodged inside a demon working with Naraku.

Then it struck her. The tiny shard she looked at interestingly was none other than that of the Shikon Jewel, she was almost certain of it. It only made sense, and she remembered the wise words of guidance from the monk just the other day.

_"It has been said that Naraku seeks the shards of the Shikon Jewel, and that his whereabouts would be best related to whoever may possess one of the shards."_

He was certainly right about the Naraku part, but she still did not know how or why it had been broken into pieces in the first place. What worried her most was the fact that it was apparently shattered, and that she had no clue as to how many shards could be lying around. The idea of hunting for demons and jewel shards was not something that sounded very amusing at the moment. Finding Shinkuoni was shocking enough for her considering she had just caught wind of a clue to find Naraku, but now she was disappointed that it had left in an even bigger mess. Her eyes lowered a bit at the thought of this, but then she focused her gaze and looked directly at the stretching clouds in the blue sky, facing the heavens

"So is this how it's going to be, mother? Looking for sparkly little jewel pieces while your killer sneaks by like a snake," she said out loud to herself, a slight smirk reaching her lips, and a long sigh leaving her chest. "If this is how it's supposed to be, then I'll leave it up to you and the Kami's." She closed her eyes and smiled to herself.

Now, looking down in her hands, she saw the jewel shard still laid embedded in the troll's horn. Using her slender fingers, she carefully took hold of the glowing jewel and tugged gently at the jagged fragment. It came out of the horn with a little clack, and lay in the palm of Akane's hand. It was completely separated from the troll now, and it changed unbelievably in front of her eyes. At first, it was a deep and dirty color of purple, but as soon as Akane removed the shard from the troll, its dark color and evil aura slowly disappeared. Now it was such a light color of purple that it almost looked like clear glass.

The jewel shard wasn't the only thing to change either. When she removed it from the horn, each part of Shinkuoni's body began to disintegrate and float away. Even the horn that she held in her hand fell apart and crumbled away. All that was left was Akane and the jewel fragment. At one point she almost felt slightly glad that the demon was completely gone from this world, maybe in a 'better' place, but she did not know for certain.

A day had passed since the encounter with the now dead Shinkuoni and the unnamed silver-haired yokai. Another night of rest had served Akane well, and this time it was free of strange dreams concerning wolves and lambs. She decided after finding a Shikon Jewel shard in the horn of the troll, she should keep it with her, tucked away in her kimono. Akane knew of a clever man who could help her with the fragment, but his home was quite a distance away and required a few days of travel.

This man went by the name of Hiroshi. Akane had only met him once in her life, and it was quite a long time ago. She remembered when her grandfather, the first Dragon Lord of the Skies, and how he had died when she was just a young girl. He was a dragon, and one of the most powerful and feared demons of the land. Before he died, he gave his daughter Mizuyume his eyes and instructed her to take them and bring them to a man named Hiroshi. Akane was very young, but her mother brought her along nonetheless, believing it to be a good lesson for the young hanyou.

There in Hiroshi's home, her mother offered him the eyes and asked that they be created into something of great use to both her and Akane. For many days he worked and crafted, until finally he finished his piece. He created a beautiful stone from both the Great Dragon Lord's eyes and glimmering jade. This stone was named Me-no-Ishi, and held a great and powerful ability. As long as their intentions were good, the user could use the stone to find the object they desired the most.

The Me-no-Ishi was never found after Lady Mizuyume's death, and its whereabouts were just as unknown as Naraku himself. Akane had only seen the stone a few times when her mother was alive, because her mother seldom used it in fear that the power of her father's dragon eyes would be too powerful and cloud her judgment, leading her down the wrong path. In the few times that Akane _had_ actually seen the Me-no-Ishi, she remembered it as always having a beautiful clear-green glow. Its smoothness was unlike anything she had ever seen, and she distinctly remembered the tiny engraving of a dragon on one side of the hand-sized stone.

Seeing Hiroshi seemed like the best plan of action now that she had possession of a Shikon Jewel shard. It would probably take five days to reach his home at the base of a cliff, and Akane hoped that she would still remember where it was and how to get there. She had only been taken there once, and maybe if she was lucky the Kami's would aid her in these travels.

Akane would have gladly continued on, if it were not for the strange scent in the air. Her heart dropped a bit at the thought of another confrontation with one more of Naraku's trolls. However, this scent was definitely not a troll, and was positively not belonging to Naraku either. It was much weaker than that of a troll, or any strong demon for that matter. This would have seemed normal, if it were not for the other scent that Akane detected in the air.

Human.


End file.
